Lorenzo d



L.. D. NEWELL.

SELF LEVELING BBRTH.

(No Model.)

NVEN'TEIFM WITNEEEEE. i?,

NA PETERS, Fhnwumvgmphr. wnshmgnm D. c

- UNITED STATES PATENT. Ormes.

LORENZO D. NEWELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

SELF-LEVELING BERTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersllatent No. 256,239, dated April 11, 1882.

Application filed July 20,1881. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, LORENZO D. NEWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ships Oscillating Berths and Sofas; and I do hereby de- -elare the following` to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinventiomsuch as willeuable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or gures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

- My invention relates more particularly to improvements on shipsV berths, which were granted to mein the United States September 10, 1872; and also in Great Britain 1873, Patent No. 503.

My present invention consists in the pecu liar manner of securing the berth to the vibrating frame; also, in the arrangement for adjusting the sliding counter poise or weight; further, in the means for securing the berth in position when not in use, &c.; and, finally, in the arrangement of the top and sides of the berth for excluding from sight the motion of the vessel.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similarletters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 shows a front side view of the berth, partly in section, as placed foreand-aft in a vessel, together with adjacent sides of a state-room. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the form and arrangement of the sliding oscillating frame, and is af vertical transverse section ot' berth on line` O O, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on line Y Y of Fig. 3, enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line X X X X of Fig. 4, also enlarged. Fig. 6 shows the sliding counter-weight.

These berths, &c., are suspended in a frame having universal motion,77 so called, which in turn is supported upon a slidingbearing secured to the sides or walls of the state-room, and is more fully described in the patents granted to me above referred to.

The following is a more detailed description of the parts constituting my invention:

A represents the suspended berth, vibrating in its transverse axis upon pins F, secured to the skeleton fra-me B, having attached thereto plates C, which form the ends of said skeleton frame B.

D are plates secured to opposite sides of the state-room, upon which the sliding plates or bearings D are mounted, which are. fitted to receive the slotted projecting journal or hub E, as shown in Fig. 4, which forms the longitudinal axis of the berth.

To the ends of the berth, at'the center thereof, are inserted the tongued or T-shaped pieces G, curved to a segment of a circle having its center or fulcrum at F, and engaging with the face of the journal E of the frame C, as shown in Fig. 5. The counter-weight K, restn g loosely upon the parallel pieces L, has gear-teeth formed upon its under side, which are made to engage with the pinion-gear k', mounted upon the shaft k, at the center of the berth. A p

c represents pins attached at each end of the berth, which serve to lock the berth and frame B together by inserting said pins through the ends of the berth and into the hole c of the plate G. The thumb-screws d, which are attached to the lower projection of the sliding bearin g D', are tapped into the stationary frame D, and serve to retain the sliding frame in position.

The sides of the berth are hung with curA tains, while the top is covered with canvas f or other suitable material, thus eifectually shutting out the motion of the vessel.

The operation and advantages of my invention are as follows:

By having the curved T-shaped pieces G at the ends of the berth made to engage freely with the grooved journals E of the end pieces, (J, I wholly obviate the jar or trembling motion incident to suspended berths at the ends thereof' during the voyage, due to the action ot' the propeller, or otherwise. These guides also have afurther advantage in reducing the strain upon the pins F, which might be caused by. a person inadvertently pushing or pulling at the ends of the berth, instead of the frame B,when

tical plane, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) I am enabled to make the berths longer than they could be it' the journals or pivots projected wholly from the sides of said end pieces.

Still another improvement consists in beveling the under side of my berth near each end, as shown at A', Fig. 1, whereby the berth can be suspended somewhat nearer the door of the state-room, thereby enabling me to suspend another berth above it, and consequently economizing space aboard the vessel.

When the berth is not in use it is designed to be mov ed back against the side of the room, the pins i resting in the sockets t" ot' the cleat I, and in conjunction with the sliding bolt b the berth is rigidly secured to the vessel.

When from any cause it is desirable to secure the berth to the Wall of the state-room, or, in other words, to have the Inotion of the berth coincident with the motion of the vessel, I then lock the frame B to the walls ofthe room by means of the sliding bolt b, which enters the piece b, Fig. 2, let into said walls, thereby conveying the rolling motion, if any there be, of the vessel to the berth; and by inserting the pins e at each end of the berth into the frame C the pitching motion of the vessehif any, is also conveyed to the berth, when the berths motion becomes coincident, as before The sliding weightor counterpoiseK is made to change the center of gravity ot' the berth at the occupants will by simply turning the shaft 7c in the necessary direction by means of a removable wrench, which also fits the sliding bolts b, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and .desire to secure by Letters Patent, s

l. In combination with a seltlevelin g berth for vessels, the curved T-shaped stripsG and groovedjournals E, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a self-leveling berth for vessels, the combination ot' the toothed counter-weight K with the pinion 7c and shaft k, said shaft being adapted to receive a removable wrench, and arranged to be operated bythe occupant of the berth, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a self-leveling berth for vessels, the combination of the swinging frame B, the ends C thereof having inwardly-projecting grooved journals E, with the sliding bearing D and stationary bearing I), substantially as shown =and described.

LORENZO DOW NEWELL.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE T. BROWN, Gino. H. REMINGTON. 

